Welcome to our back-to-school safety issue. Yes, school is just around the corner.
We’ve curated some tips from the National Safety Council, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, American Red Cross, and the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center. You’ll find helpful links to all of them in the “Websites for More Info” section at the bottom of the newsletter.
Walking to school
• Review all these safety rules with your child. A good time to review them would be during a rehearsal walk when you teach your child the safe route to and from school.
• The Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center suggests children should be at least 10 years old before allowing them to walk to school without an adult.
• Sidewalks are a bit scarce on Vashon but if one is available, use it. If there’s no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and on the shoulder out of the way of vehicles.
• Cross at crosswalks or intersections. Before crossing the street, stop and look both ways for oncoming cars. Remember this memory trick: look left-right-left.
• Heads up. Phone down. Focus on the job of walking and not on a cell phone. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing to make sure they have seen you.
• Don’t push or shove others when walking near traffic. Someone could easily stumble into the road in front of a car.
• Help drivers see you. Wear bright clothing, a reflective vest, and a flashing light.
Bicycling to school
• Ride on the right side of the road, in the same direction as traffic. If a group is cycling together, ride in single file.
• Wear a well-fitting helmet. It should sit level on the head with the front just above the eyebrows. It shouldn’t rock side-to-side or forward and backward. Always fasten the chin strap.
• Before crossing the street, stop, dismount, look for traffic in both directions and walk the bike across the street.
• If there’s a bike lane, use it. That’s a good way to ride safely out of traffic.
• Wear bright clothing. Wear flashing lights and a reflective vest as winter arrives with twilight or dark mornings and evenings.
Riding the bus
Statistics tell us that school buses are the safest of all transportation options for kids to get to school.
• Get to the bus stop at least five minutes early. Don’t run to the bus! It’s too easy to stumble into traffic.
• Stay back from the bus until it comes to a complete stop. Stay five giant steps (about 10 feet) away from the curb.
• If crossing the street, keep an eye on the bus driver, who will signal when it is okay to cross.
• Stay in clear view of the bus driver, and never walk behind the bus.
• Remain seated during the bus ride and wait until the bus stops completely before getting up.
• After you get off the bus, look left-right-left before crossing the street.
Driving and dropping Off
• Wear a seatbelt. Younger children are required by Washington state law to use car seats or booster seats until they are over four feet nine inches tall, usually between the ages of 8 and 12. Kids should ride in the back seat until they are 13.
• Drivers should slow down during school days.
• When you see lights flashing yellow on a school bus, prepare to stop. Then, when the lights flash red remain stopped until the lights are off and the stop-sign arm is withdrawn.
• It is illegal to pass a school bus while the lights are flashing.
Teen driving
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. You can take some steps to reduce this risk.
• Teens haven’t had time to gain experience behind the wheel. Keep practicing with new drivers, even after they get their license.
• Set safe driving expectations by making a written agreement with your teen. It’s like a contract. What are your family rules about giving rides to friends? When is it okay to use the car? The National Safety Council has a template you can use: tinyurl.com/DriverDeal.
• Drug and alcohol use are never okay. Many teens have not yet developed mature judgment. Driving while under the influence is a recipe for bad judgment.
• Set a good example. Drive the way you want your teen to drive.
• Teach focused driving. Don’t text and drive. Keep calm and don’t give in to road rage.
At school: backpacks and sports
• Teach kids their phone number and address, how to contact their parents at work, how to contact another trusted adult, and how to dial 911.
• Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.
• Students joining a sports team should wear protective gear appropriate for their sport, such as helmets, protective pads, etc.
• Save your kid from shoulder, neck, and back pain. Teach your child to use both straps when carrying a pack.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a backpack that weighs no more than 5% to 10% of the child’s weight.
Websites for more school safety info
• National Safety Council: tinyurl.com/NSCschool
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: tinyurl.com/NHTSAschool
• American Red Cross: tinyurl.com/ARCback2school
• Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center: tinyurl.com/HIPRCschool
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration produced a video about texting while driving. Consider watching it with your teen and have a discussion about how “everybody does it,” but it’s dangerous. Find it at tinyurl.com/DistractedOMG. (NHTSA video screenshot.)
